Floors

Different floors demand different insulation solutions. Intermediate floors have to be well insulated against noise between the floors. Ventilated floors act like a facade below the building, while ground slabs have high demands for moisture movement. A well-insulated floor structure creates a good sound environment and keeps you feet warm on cold winter days.

We have ideal insulation solutions for different kind of floors; intermediate floors, ground slabs and ventilated floors. The below section of this site contains the most common floor insulation solutions for buildings. Choose your floor type to find the PAROC product you need.

Step sound insulation prevents noise transfer between rooms and apartments on different levels. PAROC stone wool is soft but hard. This means that it works like a spring between floor boards and blocks the sound vibration created by footsteps and other movement.

For the ground floor of a building, thick concrete slabs are typically used. These are either supported on foundations or laid directly on the subsoil. Insulation can go above or below the slab, but you must consider how the building’s occupants will use the heating. If the building is to be in continuous use, install insulation under the concrete slab in order to utilise the thermal mass of the slab as a cover over the insulation.

In ground floors, moisture moves in two, opposite directions. Diffusion moves moisture downwards from the warm room space towards the colder soil. Capillary moisture movement lifts the moisture up from the ground towards the living spaces regardless of the temperature difference. Insulation must allow the diffusive moisture to move downwards and prevent the capillary moisture from moving upwards by creating a capillary break. In addition, the insulation under the floor slab also has to carry two loads: the casting load and the continuous loads from use. All of these requirements place special demands on under-slab insulation.

To meet the challenge of concrete slabs on the ground, use the classic PAROC stone wool solution. Porous stone wool allows casted concrete to dry about 30 % quicker than with other insulation material. And as the stone wool is a non-capillary material, there is no risk for moisture absorption.

A well-ventilated floor solution effectively eliminates capillary moisture from the ground. It is crucial that air vents under the floor are not obstructed. If the natural ventilation system is efficient, the floor joists will be exposed to continuous air movement which dries the structure and prevents the possible condensation.

It is also extremely important to remove all the organic material underneath ventilated floors to avoid possible mold growth in the soil.

PAROC® stands for energy-efficient and fire safe insulation products and solutions of stone wool for new and renovated buildings, HVAC, marine and offshore, acoustics and other industrial applications. Behind those products there is an 80-year history of stonewool production knowhow backed with technical insulation expertise and innovation. We manufacture our products in Finland, Sweden, Lithuania, Poland and Russia, and deliver them to customers in our familiar red-and-white-striped packages. For more information please visit our About Paroc webpages.